SEOUL – South Korea has rejected a proposal by North Korea to bring forward military talks by 10 days, saying it was not enough time to prepare for their first dialogue since the latter’s shelling of a border island last year.

LONDON – Britain would have suffered a setback in its political and economic ambitions in Libya if the Lockerbie bomber, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi, was not released from a Scottish prison, according to latest revelations by Wikileaks.

WASHINGTON – The United States has defended the action of a US diplomat, who shot two persons to death at Mazang Chowk in Lahore last Thursday, saying that he had acted “in self defence when confronted by two armed men on motorcycles”.

“In our view, he acted in self defence when confronted by two armed men … Read more >>.

QUETTA – In the latest attack on convoys in Pakistan carrying supplies for NATO forces in Afghanistan, unidentified men opened indiscriminate fire at a NATO oil tanker in Balochistan’s Mastung district on Tuesday, killing two persons.

NEW DELHI – The highlight of 2010 was the change in the situation in the northeast with violence at it lowest level in many years, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Tuesday and stressed that the government would respond to any group that desired genuine peace.

LONDON – The eight-letter inscription on the 18th century Shepherd’s Monument in UK has left many baffled, but a British historian has come forward to say that it is nothing more than 19th century graffiti.

LONDON – Secret US diplomatic cables released by the whistleblower website ‘Wikileaks’ have revealed that British ministers had secretly suggested ways to the Libyan government for the early and successful release of Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.

The Telegraph quoted the cables as saying that one of UK’s Foreign Office ministers had sent detailed legal advice on … Read more »»».

NEW DELHI – Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said that India remained “vulnerable” to terrorism as new groups were suspected to be behind some terror attacks that took place in recent years.

NEW DELHI – Addressing the Chief Ministers Conference here today, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said that India lived in a troubled neighborhood which made the country face terror and inflow of refugees.

ARUA – A Ugandan opposition leader, Kizza Besigye, has praised the country’s former dictator and despot Idi Amin, saying that the latter had done more for the country than long-serving president Yoweri Museveni.

Besigye, the leader of four-party coalition Inter Party Co-operation, made the remarks at an election rally in Arua, a town in Amin’s West … Read more >>>.

NEW YORK – US First Lady Michelle Obama, who found herself at the centre of a controversy for wearing a British designer’s gown to a recent state dinner, has responded back – ’she just wants to wear what she loves’.

NEW DELHI – Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday said that there has been a ” dramatic change in the situation in the North East in 2010″ which witnessed the lowest level of violence in many years.

HAMILTON – The husband of a woman found burning on the side of a Huntly road last month has been reamded to police custody till February 28 and will reappear before the Hamilton District Court on March 1.

CHARLES TOWN (GaeaTimes.com)- With time the interest of people towards healthy and alternative diet is increasing. A number of celebrities and eminent personalities are embracing vegan diet these days. Recently Talk Show legend Oprah Winfrey promoted vegan food and diet in her show. In Charles Town a lady named Ruth Wako has taken the [..] Read the original article: here.

LONDON – Taliban commanders in Afghanistan have said that they are willing to explore peace talks with the Hamid Karzai-led government, if they can have more solid guarantees about their own future and safety.

WASHINGTON – The Army private accused of leaking secret US diplomatic cables to Wikileaks had been sent to Iraq by his immediate commanders against the advice of his mental health specialist, a military official familiar with a new Army investigation has said.

WASHINGTON – Lieutenant General David Rodriguez, head of the NATO Joint Command and Deputy Commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan, has warned that the Taliban is far from being defeated and would soon change its strategy to carry out political … Read more >>.

NEW YORK (GaeaTimes.com)- Barbara Bush, the daughter of former U.S. President George W. Bush seems to have joined her mother and also a number of officials of public administration by publicly speaking in support of gay marriage. Barbara Bush has appeared in the video of Human Rights Campaign where she has urged the citizens …. Source article : Barbara Bush Supports Gay Marriage.

CHICAGO (GaeaTimes.com)- Chicagoans are indeed having a tough time braving the aftermath of the blizzard that has lashed the city since Tuesday evening. To make matters worse, the blizzard posed a potential threat when it caused a piece of the roof of the famous Wrigley Field to fall seizing officials with panic who later on …. Original source : Wrigley Field’s Roof Broken.

CHICAGO (GaeaTimes.com)- The Metra train service in Chicago was hit by the blizzard and inclement weather like other transit services and the commuters had to bear the brunt as always. The met office issued warning about the storm which prompted the residents to leave for work early on Tuesday but they did not succeed … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : Metra Train Services Disrupted.

DELHI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- LIC which is the leading insurance service provider in India has unveiled a couple of new Non linked plans named Bima Account I and Bima Account II. These are the first Variable Insurance Plans offered under new IRDA regime. The schemes are based on similar structures. The plans … Read more >>>.

LONDON – After getting close to producing workable and efficient “biological and chemical weapons”, Al-Qaeda is actively trying to get nuclear material and recruiting rogue scientists from Pakistan to build a “dirty” bomb, according to leaked diplomatic documents.

Senior British defence officials have also raised deep concerns that a rogue scientist in the Pakistani nuclear programme … Read more >>.

MUMBAI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The Valentine Week is all set to start from February 7, and with that, lovers are wondering in what special way, they can impress their partners, by pampering them with some amazing gifts and goodies. For all those who belong to this clan of people, can now celebrate the day with … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Valentine Week Boosts Diamond Import.

DUBAI – A parliamentary committee in Kuwait has rejected a motion that aimed to ban bikinis, saying it was unconstitutional.

The motion, submitted in November by members of the Development and Reform Bloc and MP Khalid Al Sultan, bans women from wearing bikinis, revealing bathing suits and clothes with deep cleavage at the beach, reports Gulf … Read more : Kuwait parliamentary committee rejects ban on bikinis.

WASHINGTON – US Assistant Secretary of State for Central and South Asian Affairs Robert Blake has appreciated Pakistan for deploying approximately 140,000 troops from its Indian border to the Afghan border, and said re-deployment of Pakistani troops back to the eastern border would be “very damaging” to American interests.

WASHINGTON – The Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) has started hunting for a previously unknown team of men suspected to be part of the 9/11 terror attacks, according to new revelations by the whistleblower website ‘Wikileaks’.

NEW DELHI – The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday questioned former Telecom Minister A Raja for the fourth time in connection with alleged irregularities in the allocation of 2G spectrum.

LONDON – The UK Immigration Minister Damian Green has pledged that British graduates would be given more jobs after it emerged that the arrival of thousands of non-European Union (EU) graduates every year has deprived Britons from finding jobs in their own country.

One in five young Briton is unable to find a job …. Read the original article : here.

CHENNAI – All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa on Thursday expressed her dissatisfaction over the arrest of former Telecom Minister A Raja in connection with the 2G spectrum scam, saying the arrest has made the government ‘a laughing stock’.

ROME, ITALY (GaeaTimes.com)- In a rather startling revelations, researchers in the Italian capital of Rome have pointed out that the muse that was used by the Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci to create one of his masterpiece, Mona Lisa might be a male. The possible male inspiration behind the intriguing portrait was unearthed by …. Original article on Gaea Times at : Gian Giacomo Caprotti: Mona Lisa’s Model?.

NEW YORK – India, China, Vietnam and the Philippines have seen their forested areas increase in size largely due to a switch from felling to planting, according to a United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report.

WASHINGTON – With the Obama administration strongly condemning the violence against demonstrators in Egypt and calling on President Hosni Mubarak to speed up his exit from power, experts are suggesting that this is a drastic shift in American foreign policy.

Though the Egyptian Foreign Ministry has defiantly rejected suggestions from “foreign parties”, the Obama administration seems … Read more >>>.

LONDON – The United States threatened to take military action against China during a secret “star wars” arms race within the past few years, according to documents leaked by the whistle-blowing web site WikiLeaks.

According to The Daily Telegraph, both nuclear superpowers shot down their own satellites using sophisticated missiles in separate show of strength.

NEW DELHI – A three-day international seminar and exhibition to critically study and evaluate the contribution of Kumarajiva in enhancement of Indo-Chinese cultural relations and other related issues began here today under the aegis of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.

MANAMA – Kuwait’s government has rejected a draft law submitted by the parliament allowing military and securitymen to grow beards.

Difficulties in implementing the law, mainly among airmen, and a violation of the principles of discipline and commitment in the military institutions were cited by the government for rejecting the draft, Al Siyassah daily reported on … Read more »».

WASHINGTON – Republicans in the United States House of Representatives have dropped the word “forcible rape” from a section of an Abortion Bill that is before the House, following widespread condemnation by Democrats and abortion rights activists.

LAHORE – Pakistan’s Ambassador to Cairo Seema Naqvi has become a virtual hurdle to the evacuation of Pakistanis from the riot-torn Egyptian capital by asking the Foreign Office to charge money for the act, diplomatic sources have confided.

MANAMA – Kuwait’s Endowments and Islamic Affairs ministry has said that prisoners who can memorise the Quran might be eligible for the annual pardon.

The decision will be part of efforts to rehabilitate inmates and help them re-integrate society driven by high values. According to the ministry, 137 inmates were last enrolled in the memorisation programme.

BANGALORE, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- Bangalore is all set to host the 77th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana that started from today. The three-day event will aim to promote Kannada literature and culture. The government has persuaded each and every theater located in the city, to play only Kannada movies only, for the next three days, … Read more : Kannada Sahitya Sammelana Kicks Off.

WASHINGTON – The United States’ plans to build a missile defence system on Czech soil experienced troubles when defence chiefs discovered that the proposed radar lacked the ability to quickly detect long-range missiles.

WASHINGTON – Pakistan’s Presidency and Dr Tanveer Zamani, a practicing surgeon and PPP activist in the US, have commented quite differently on a flood of reports and Internet blogs referring to the possibility that Asif Ali Zardari may have secretly married Zamani.

ISLAMABAD – The United States has conveyed a veiled threat to Pakistan that their bilateral defence cooperation can come under a cloud if the standoff on the issue of double murder-accused US national Raymond Davis’ immunity persists.

WASHINGTON – A new poll has found that United States President Barack Obama’s approval ratings during his second year in office were the most partisan and polarized they have ever been at two years into a presidency.

NEVADA – Roman Catholics have come out in support of Hindus, who are disturbed over the portrayal of Lord Ganesh as a sex act on NBC’s Saturday Night Live (SNL) and want apologies from all those responsible for it, including actor Jim Carrey and NBC.

WASHINGTON – The United States had ordered its diplomats to spy and gather information about the weaknesses of British Foreign Office ministers, and the strains in their professional relationships, according to latest revelations of Wikileaks.

SYDNEY – An Australian bank has warned its employees of disciplinary action, including dismissal, if any one of them fails to report criticism of the bank made by others on social media channels, including Facebook.

CAIRO – Wael Abbas, a well-known Egyptian journalist who had posted hundreds of terrifying videos of police abuse on the web, has claimed that he was arrested, but later released by his country’s Army.

LONDON – A schoolboy in Britain is said to have memorised an entire city’s bus timetable, and can recite every route in his hometown.amie Taylor, 7, whose first word was “bus”, has collected hundreds of bus timetables and maps for Swindon, … Read more >>>.

ISLAMABAD – Possessing more nuclear weapons than India will not make Pakistan more secure, said a commentary in a Pakistan daily, pointing out that “the Bomb” had not helped to achieve Kashmiri liberation, and instead India’s grip on Kashmir was tighter.

GUWAHATI – Assam, which is one of the largest consumers of fish in the country and is trying hard to become self sufficient in fish production, recently organised fifth Assam Matsya Mahotsav to promote fish production in the State.

The fish festival was held from January 27-29 at Shilpgram in Guwahati.

RANGOON – Burma’s parliament has elected the country’s former Army General Thein Sein as the President, raising fears among political observers that the military establishment that has been running the country for almost a half-century is in no mood to loosen its grip on power.

PERTH – Up to 20 houses have reportedly been engulfed by a bushfire in Roleystone in Perth’s south-east, while firefighters are simultaneously battling a blaze that had forced the evacuation of more than 100 people in the Swan Valley.

LONDON – While the BBC was forced to apologise after Top Gear host Richard Hammond described Mexicans as ‘lazy, feckless… and flatulent’ in their show, co-host Jeremy Clarkson has again insulted them in his newspaper column.

CALIFORNIA – Former Alaska Governor and 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has said that if she does make a bid for the White House in 2012, she will continue “having that thick skin and steel spine.”

LONDON – British officials described Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari as “highly corrupt” and a “numbskull” who would not last long in office, diplomatic cables unveiled by the whistle-blower website WikiLeaks has revealed.

The officials and military leaders gave their damning assessment of Zardari in the …. Read the original article : here.

CALIFORNIA – Former Alaska Governor and 2008 Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has criticized the Obama administration for not doing enough to resolve the crisis in Egypt, one of Washington’s key allies in the Middle East.

THIMPU – Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao on Sunday said that with the completion of 25 years of SAARC, the process is maturing and gradually the focus is now on providing more services for the economic and development needs of the people.

WASHINGTON – Egypt’s military brass, though divided over the fate of President Hosni Mubarak, would eventually like him to go with dignity.

According to General (retired) Anthony C. Zinni, a former head of the US Central Command, which oversees American military operations in the Middle East, the senior Egyptian military leadership would treat Mubarak, who once …. Original article : Egypt’s divided military will want Mubarak to go with dignity.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. government has reportedly figured out ways penetrate through Internet censorship filters to deliver news and other vital information to people in countries like China via e-mails.

CAIRO – The Egyptian leadership apparently seems unconvinced about asking President Hosni Mubarak to quit his post immediately, even though the United States and leading European nations called for his exit and threw their weight behind Vice-President Omar Suleiman.

LONDON – British people are now adopting the American-style pronunciation of certain words.

Interim results of a study by the British Library suggested a third of Britons taking part now adopt the American-style ’skedule’ over the traditional pronunciation, which has a softer ’sh’ sound, reports the Telegraph.

KARACHI – The Jang group of newspapers has expressed “deep sorrow and regret over the release of a legal notice” issued by Pakistani authorities for publishing a story on President Asif Ali Zardari’s possible secret remarriage.

On Saturday, Zardari had asked the organisation to apologise for publishing a false and concocted story printed against him, or … Read more >>>.

NEW DELHI – Telegu cine star and Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) chief Chiranjeevi will meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi here today amid speculation that he will merge his party with the Congress and hold discussions on strengthening the relationship between the two parties in Andhra Pradesh.

WASHINGTON – The US State Department has distanced itself from comments made by a US special envoy Frank Wisner in which he said Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak should stay in office during a power transition.

Spokesman Philip Crowley said Frank Wisner’s views were his own, and not coordinated with the US government.

LONDON – Secret documents have revealed that British ministers had arranged to meet their Libyan counterparts to give them advice on how the Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi’s could be released from a Scottish prison.

The latest revelation is a contrast to earlier claims by the Labour government that it did not “interfere” in … Read more >>>.

NEW DELHI – In an endeavor to ensure that the ‘Budget Session’ of Parliament functions smoothly, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has convened a meeting of leaders of all political parties on February 8 to resolve the deadlock in the Parliament on the issue of a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the 2G spectrum …. Source article : Mukherjee to convene all-party meet on Feb. 8 to break Parliament deadlock.

NEW DELHI – The spotlight is on the lesser known aspects of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore on his 150th birth anniversary – his numerous art works, his contribution to gender issues and environment among other things.

EDINBURG – The Scottish Government would reportedly release new documents detailing discussions with Westminster to deny speculations that it had played a major role behind the scenes to release Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset Ali Mohmed al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds.

GURGAON, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The metro system connecting New Delhi with the satellite town of Gurgaon, which is often considered to be one of the busiest routes of the metro line, would be given a major impetus by the Metro authorities which is gearing up to launch six-coach trains along the route. Trials along …. Original article on Gaea Times at : Gurgaon-Delhi Metro To Have Six-Coach Trains.

THIMPHU – Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir on Monday said that India and Pakistan have agreed to work together in countering militancy.

Speaking on the sidelines of a South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Council of Ministers meeting here, Bashir, who met his Indian counterpart, Nirupama Rao, on Sunday,said the meeting was a productive exchange … Read this article on Gaea Times at : Every incident of terrorism despicable: Pak Foreign Secretary.

PARIS – French authorities evacuated at least six thousand people from their residences after an unexploded RAF bomb, which was apparently dropped during the Second World War, was discovered in Boulogne-Billancourt on the outskirts of Paris.

NEW DELHI – With an eye on China’s growing military strength in Tibet, India has “fully raised” two new mountain divisions with 30,000 troops in the northeast as a counter-measure and to shore up its mountain warfare capabilities.

WASHINGTON – A shootout during a party at a Youngstown State University fraternity house in Ohio has reportedly left a person dead, and 11 others injured.

ABC News quoted Youngstown police as saying that they have arrested two men in connection with the shootings, but refused to disclose their names as they were still carrying out … Read the original article on Gaea Times at : One killed, 11 injured at ‘house party’ shootout in Ohio.

CHENNAI – Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi has refuted the charges of irregularities in the allotment of land under the discretionary quota, and hit back at Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy for seeking sanction for his prosecution on the issue.

WASHINGTON – The United States has said that it is keeping the door open for Sudan to be removed from the list of state sponsors of terrorism if it meets its ‘obligations,’ including recognition of an independent South Sudan.oth President Obama … Read more »».

NEVADA – Hindus have asked ASEAN to urgently play an effective role in protection and preservation of Preah Vihear Hindu Shiva temple complex which has reportedly suffered considerable damage due of Thai-Cambodian crossfire.

NEVADA – Hindus want Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Pope Benedict to visit the grieving Roma (Gypsy) family, whose four children were burnt alive on February six in Rome outskirts, and offer them support.

Three brothers and a sister, aged 4-11 years, perished while …. Source : Gaea News Network.

CHANDIGARH – Overcast conditions and rainfall in many parts of Punjab since the last two days made way for a clear sky and bright sunshine Tuesday as people observed the festival of ‘Basant Panchami’ — the first day of the spring season.

KUALA LUMPUR – A Malaysian group called the People’s Service Movement has reportedly urged the government to give due recognition to Malay-Indians who have played major roles in the country’s development.

CAPE TOWN – The revelation of a statement by one of the gunmen accused of killing an Indian-origin bride during her honeymoon in Cape Town last year, saying that they never intended to kill Anni Dewani, has raised doubts on police claims that her husband Shrien had plotted the murder.

CAIRO – Amid massive protests across the country calling for Hosni Mubarak’s resignation, Christians in Egypt, who make up about 10 percent of the population, are reportedly living in fear over whether the political change in the near future may end up in them being persecuted in their own country.

WASHINGTON – The United States has said it was aware of the fact that the widow of one of the two Pakistani man killed by a US diplomat last month had committed suicide, but reiterated that Pakistan must fulfil its international obligations under the Vienna Convention and release the accused.

CAIRO – French Prime Minister Frangois Fillon’s admission to have enjoyed a free holiday on the Nile over the New Year at Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s expense has outraged the opposition in Paris who condemned Fillon’s government, saying it has lost a “sense of public spirit”.

LONDON – A British athlete, who was the only woman on a five-man crew trying to break the record for crossing the Atlantic, shed all her inhibitions aside and joined her team-mates in stripping to heal blisters.

BANGALORE, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The much awaited Aero India 2011 show has started near Bangalore an annual event which witnesses the participation of top aircraft manufacturing majors of the world. This year the event has also attracted the global aviation majors like Boeing and others but the event has also triggered an accommodation crisis in … Read : Aero India 2011 Affects Bangalore Hotels.

BANGALORE, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- The largest air show of India Aero India 2011 commenced on a bright note on Wednesday near Bangalore amidst much fanfare and media coverage. The yearly event which presents the aircraft and military aviation assets of India is something the leading aircraft manufacturing companies look forward to. The aircraft and helicopters … Read more : Aero India 2011 Begins.

BANGALORE – US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer has said the removal of the hurdles from the list of banned entities by the USA is very significant for future business opportunities and bilateral trade with India, prompting New Delhi to rely more on Washington for military hardware.

Addressing a conference US Aerospace and Defence Industry … Read more »».

NEW DELHI – A special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court on Wednesday granted three day transit custody of Dynamix Balwas (DB) group Managing Director Shahid Balwa to the CBI in connection with the 2G scam.

BANGALORE – India’s own first supersonic multi-role combat aircraft Tejas and light combat helicopter (LCH) dazzled participants at the Aero India 2011 on Wednesday with their breathtaking aerobatic manouveres at Air Force Station Yelhanka.

KABUL – Iranian opposition leader, Mehdi Karroubi, has said that a planned demonstration in favour of the protests in Egypt and Tunisia in Tehran next week would be a test for both the Iranian government and its opponents.

LONDON – The women who accused Julian Assange of sexually assaulting them sent text messages to each other, discussing ‘revenge’ and extracting money from the WikiLeaks founder, a London court has heard.

WASHINGTON – US aid beneficiary nations, such as Pakistan, will have to shoulder more of the burden for their own growth as Washington eyes deep cuts in its overseas assistance, a top US lawmaker has warned.

CANBERRA – The Australian Government is reportedly in secret negotiations with the Indian Government for the sale of uranium, though publicly it asserts that it cannot allow such exports as long as Delhi maintains a nuclear arsenal outside the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

LONDON – The Prince of Wales has hit out at climate change skeptics saying that they are “playing a reckless game of roulette” with the future of their grandchildren.rince Charles said this while addressing a European Union conference on global warming in Brussels.

BANGALORE – India is just about a month or two away from deciding the winner of the $10.4-billion contract for 126 combat aircraft, but the Indian Air Force (IAF) is afraid the losers among the six bidders for the deal might derail the process of quick acquisition by knocking on the corruption watchdog’s doors.

NEW DELHI, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- Soft toy galleries are flooded with customers for today is the much awaited Teddy Day when people gift their loved ones teddy bears, the cutest and cuddliest of all toys. With February 10 as the Teddy Day in the Valentine week, shopkeepers are having an extremely busy schedule, for there seems … Read : Teddy Day Sales Flood Stores.

ALLAHABAD, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- Indian railways is keen on making passenger amenities improved at the key rail stations in the country. The Allahabad junction is soon going to get a spanking new multi functional complex which will prove to be a boon for the passengers. The construction of the complex has been given to Indian … Read more »».

NEW DELHI – Indian journalist M.J. Akbar’s “Tinderbox: The Past and Future of Pakistan” and “Tender Hooks” by Pakistani writer Moni Mohsin continue to dominate for the fourth week the non-fiction and fiction sections, respectively, of the bestseller list.

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Thursday successfully tested a nuclear-capable cruise missile with a range of up to 600 km, a military official said.

The Hatf-VII missile, also called Babur after the 16th-century Muslim ruler who founded the Mughal Empire, was fired from an undisclosed location, said Major General Athar Abbas, a military spokesman.
“Babur, which can … Read more >>.

KOLKATA, INDIA (GaeaTimes.com)- Union Railway minister Mamata Banerjee is keen on building a positive image among the intellectuals as is evident from her recent activities. Under her instruction Indian railways has come up with special trains dedicated to pay tribute to the memories of stalwarts like Mother Teresa and Rabindranath Tagore. She laid the foundation …. Read the original article : Indian Railways Focuses On Belur Math.

ISLAMABAD – Aides to Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari have expressed confidence that Islamabad and Washington can amicably resolve a diplomatic crisis over the detention of double-murder accused US diplomat Raymond Davis.

AMETHI – Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi has slammed Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati for the deteriorating law and order condition of the state and raised questions about the safety and security of women in Amethi.

LONDON – Leaked American diplomatic cables released by the whistle blowing web site WikiLeaks have revealed that the United States fears that Saudi Arabia, the world’s largest crude oil exporter, may not have enough reserves to prevent oil prices escalating.

MELBOURNE – Dreams of sailing and flying at the same time may soon come true, after an Australian designer revealed plans for a yacht that can fly four metres above the water at speeds of up to 400 km/h.

The Ekranoyacht has been designed to “bring the super car flavour to the water”, and it was … Read more >>.

WASHINGTON – US Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has rejected criticisms American intelligence services had failed to warn Egypt about the political unrest against President Hosni Mubarak’s rule.

Addressing the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, Clapper has said that US intelligence services had done “yeoman’s work” on Egypt, the BBC reports.

NEW DELHI – ULFA Foreign Secretary Sashadhar Choudhury has said his outfit is still outlawed according to the Indian Constitution and it was upto the Government of India whether it wanted to remove the tag or not.

NEW DELHI – Neither India nor Pakistan have much leverage, and both are at ‘wobbly’ political points at home, and for both countries to come up with any landmark agreement or solution to their bilateral problems, is very distant, feels a former Indian foreign secretary.

NEW DELHI – Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said banking services would be rolled out in 20,000 villages which have no banks with a population of over 2,000 by the end of this fiscal as part of the Government’s overall efforts to improve financial services in the country.

BANGALORE – Air Chief Marshal PV Naik has said that increasing and mordernising the fleet is the primary focus of Indian Air Force (IAF).

Addressing a press conference at the Aero India 2011 here on Thursday, Air Chief Marshal Naik said: “We are looking for a fifth generation aircraft. We are looking for an aircraft which …. Source : Gaea News Network.

AGRA – Even as the world got ready to celebrate love on Valentine’s Day, a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl ended their lives in the city of the Taj following objections from their families to their relationship.

KUALA LUMPUR – The Malaysian Government has reportedly accepted proposals of Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) to address problems like labour shortage and the strict process of hiring foreign workers faced by small and medium-scale enterprises.

LONDON – Late President of the United States Abraham Lincoln, who is revered as the great champion of America’s slaves, had wanted to deport slaves to toil in British colonies in the Caribbean, reveals a new book.

MELBOURNE – The lawyer representing Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has claimed that the Australian-born journalist had helped Victoria Police with an Internet child pornography investigation in the 1990s.

NEW YORK – Expressing New Delhi’s concerns over Beijing’s relationship with Islamabad, Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao underlined that China needs to be more sensitive in its dealings with Pakistan.

NEW YORK – Assuring all help to the duped students of California-based Tri-Valley University (TVU), External Affairs Minister S M Krishna has said that the government through its Embassy in Washington and consulates in America has been working closely with students, who have unfortunately got caught in the scam.

LAHORE – Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has said US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had pressurised him to sign a summary giving diplomatic immunity to double-murder accused American official Raymond Davis, but he refused to oblige.

NEW DELHI – Giving a message of dignity and equality, the specially-abled artists presented colourful dance performance on wheelchairs in New Delhi.

Despite being confined to the wheel chairs, the physically disabled performers from the charitable organisation Ability Unlimited Foundation held audiences spellbound here on Saturday with their performances.

BURDWAN – West Bengal Police have seized a huge cache of arms and ammunitions from Burdwan district.

The arms recovered were a U.S. made 9 mm pistol, one sten carbine gun, and around 35 rounds of cartridges from the house of Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-M) leaders Najim Sekh and Atar Sekh on Saturday.

LONDON – Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf will not comply with a non-bailable arrest warrant issued against him by an Islamabad court over the assassination of ex-prime minister Benazir Bhutto, his London spokesman has said.

WASHINGTON – The United States has postponed a high-level trilateral meeting among the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan that was scheduled to take place later this month, in what seems to be a retaliation against the continued judicial remand of double-murder accused US diplomat Raymond Davis in Lahore.

MATHURA – Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) spokesperson Ram Madhav has accused the Central Government of tackling the issue of militants with kid gloves.

Addressing a public meet here on Sunday, Madhav said: “Eliminating terrorism, means eliminating the terrorist physically. You cannot guess who said this. General Musharraf who was a dictator of Pakistan says this. Though … Read more >>>.

LONDON – Katia Zatuliveter, an assistant to a UK MP and an alleged spy, has now been offered a job at the Kremlin’s English-language TV news propaganda channel.

Zatuliveter, a 25-year-old former parliamentary assistant for Mike Hancock, a Liberal Democrat MP, was arrested in December and ordered deported on MI5’s advice after it was decided that …. Original article on Gaea Times at : UK MP’s Russian ’spy’ assistant offered Kremlin TV role.

WASHINGTON – Over four in ten supporters of the Republican party (43 percent) have said that they would like to have a better field of potential candidates to choose from for the 2012 presidential elections.

MIRANSHAH – Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has said that the government should execute double murder-accused US official Raymond Davis, or hand him over to them.

“We demand that the Pakistani government hang Raymond Davis or otherwise hand him over to us. We will decide his fate,” the Daily Times quoted TTP spokesman Azam Tariq, as saying. …. Read the original article : Pak Taliban demands death for Raymond Davis.

LAHORE – Several Pakistani politicians have criticized former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s stance that the double murder-accused US official Raymond Davis could not be given diplomatic immunity.

Law Minister Babar Awan, in an obvious reference to Quereshi’s statement, said that the government would not allow anybody to become hero by politicizing the issue.

SYDNEY – The latest Herald/Nielsen poll shows the opposition Coalition leading the ruling Labor on a two-party preferred basis by 54 per cent to 46 per cent, a swing of four per cent since last August’s election.

NEW YORK – Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Abdullah Hussain Haroon, has said that his country supports an Afghan-led reconciliation process in Afghanistan to pave the way for durable peace and stability in the war-torn country.

NEW DELHI – President Pratibha Devisingh Patil and Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari have greeted the nation on the auspicious occasion of Milad-Un-Nabi, which is being observed tomorrow to mark the birth of Prophet Mohammad.

NEW DELHI – National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) chairperson and former Chief Justice of India, K.G. Balakrishnan, reacting to the controversy over his unwillingness to disclose his Income Tax returns has said he has nothing to hide.

WASHINGTON – Seven people including two Americans have been charged by the United States for conspiring to aid the Taliban, ccording to US officials, two Americans, identified as Alwar Pouryan and Oded Orbach were arrested in Romania for conspiring to sell missiles to protect Taliban-run heroin laboratories in Afghanistan.

ISRAEL – Israeli archaeologists have said that the Jericho tower, which was constructed 11,000-years-ago, was built to promote farming and to entice people to abandon their nomadic ways and to settle down.

Long before its Biblical walls came tumbling down, Jericho’s residents were being enticed to give up hunting and gathering and start farming for …. Read the original article : here.

AGARTALA – Hundreds of displaced persons from the India-Bangladesh border region in northeastern state of Tripura staged a rally at Agartala, the capital of Tripura to pressurise the state government to consider and implement their demands for apt rehabilitation.

The people were displaced due to the erection of barbed wire fencing along the Indo-Bangladesh border.

WASHINGTON – Women prefer female service providers in situations where they might fall prey to stereotypes about their math and science abilities.

“One of the most widely held stereotypes in North America is that women’s competence and aptitude in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) domains is less than men’s,” a study’s authors wrote. …. Read the original article : here.

NEW YORK – The Pakistani man, who has been stalking President John F Kennedy’s granddaughter, wants to take the case to court.

Naeem Ahmed, 41, has told a court appointed psychiatrist that he wants to take his case before a jury, meaning 20-year-old Tatiana Schlossberg would have to testify against him in a Manhattan courtroom.

LONDON – Josef Fritzl’s underground cellar, where he sexually abused his daughter Elisabeth for 24 years, is to be sealed with a welded steel door by Austrian authorities – because teenagers have been partying in the secret dungeon.

The cellar has been violated in the months before contractors move in to demolish the house, reports the …. Source : Gaea News Network.

BASTAR – Four Maoists have been surrendered before the top brass of the district police at Jagdalpur in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region.

Superintendent of Police, Bastar, Sundar Raj P. has stated that the four Maoists Jan Militia members-Sonaram Yadav, Dharma Nage, Massa Netam and Tulsiram Netam residents of village Barda under Badedonger police station area of Bastar …. Original source : Four Maoists surrender in Chhattisgarh.

WASHINGTON – Why would someone pay a fortune for an item that had belonged to Jackie Kennedy or for a celebrity’s footstool?

Study authors from Yale and Bar-llan Universities, seeking to find an explanation, researched the concept of “contagion” — the belief that a person’s essence can be transferred onto an object through contact.
…. Read the original article : here.

NEW DELHI – India has given to Seychelles a Dornier maritime reconnaissance aircraft for surveillance and anti-piracy missions in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)that is plagued by piracy threats in and around the Gulf of Aden.

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration has proposed a staggering amount of 3.1-billion-dollars, as financial assistance to Pakistan in the 2012 budget, despite its standoff with the Asian nation on double murder-accused US official Raymond Davis’ detention issue.

LAHORE – US Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John F. Kerry has hinted at the possibility of some senators moving a bill for cutting off aid to Pakistan in case both countries did not act sensibly on the issue of double-murder accused US diplomat Raymond Davis.

WASHINGTON – US security experts have claimed that the computer hackers’ collective Anonymous has released a decrypted version of the Stuxnet worm that had affected Iran’s nuclear power program in December last year, online.

CAIRO – Field Marshal Mohamad Tantawi, the head of the Higher Military Council that took control of Egypt last week, had opposed political reform because he believed that it ‘eroded central government power,’ the whistleblower Wikileaks has revealed.

WASHINGTON – An Iraqi defector whose claims that the Saddam Hussein regime possessed biological weapons of mass destruction had persuaded the US to invade the oil rich country in 2003, has admitted for the first time he had “fabricated” some facts to get rid of the autocratic regime.

NEW DELHI – A senior discipline official in China has revealed that “naked officials”, the name given to public servants whose wives have taken residence abroad and who are suspected to be more prone to corruption, will soon be subjected to more scrutiny.

CAIRO – Interviews with many Egyptian engineers, as well as an examination of data collected around the world during the five-day Internet blackout in the country during the anti-government protests, indicate that the Hosni Mubarak government had exploited a devastating combination of vulnerabilities in the national infrastructure.ccording to the New York Times, the government’s attack … Read : Egyptian govt. exploited national infrastructure to cripple Internet: Experts.

NEW DELHI – India Wednesday said it was “not unduly worried” over China’s military modernisation, though the neighbour’s defence budget was a matter of concern.

“Modernisation of China’s armed forces and its ever increasing military spending is a matter of serious concern. But we are not unduly worried because what we need to do …. Read the original article : here.

ISLAMABAD – The US Consul General in Lahore has dismissed media reports that double-murder accused US diplomat Raymond Davis and the US officials who visited him in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat Jail had acted inappropriately.

WASHINGTON – Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, has announced that he is engaged to Canadian philanthropist Karen Gordon.

Spencer will be tying the knot at his ancestral home in Althorp, in central England, less than two months after his nephew Prince William marries Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey on April 29, reports CBS News.

NEW DELHI – Defence Minister A K Antony has said that his ministry is taking proper corrective and preventive action in the recent leak of a top classified report on procurement of guns from the USA and a high level inquiry has been ordered to probe into the matter.

Talking to reporters on the sidelines of …. Read the original article : here.

WASHINGTON – A jihadist takeover in Pakistan- which is a “real possibility today”- would have devastating consequences not only for the country but the entire world, and particularly for India, says Bruce Riedel in his new book.

NEW DELHI – Concerned over the rapid growth of Chinese infrastructure in the region, Defence Minister AK Antony will be on a two-day visit to the North-East to review the security situation there and the progress of infrastructure development, beginning Friday.

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Muslim League-N chief Nawaz Sharif has said that his party’s stance on the case of double murder-accused US official Raymond Davis is very clear- that the country’s independent judiciary will decide his fate.

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration is concerned about the safety of Burmese opposition politician Aung San Suu Kyi after what it called a “veiled threat” against her in a state-run newspaper article.

NEW DELHI – The book shelf this week is a peppy combination of facts, fictions and human triumph.

1. Book: India: A Traveller’s Literary Companion; Written by Chandrahas Choudhury; Published by Harper Collins; Priced at Rs.399.
What might it be like to encounter a country and its landscape not through a travel guide, or …. Read the original article : here.

JAIPUR – A Rajasthan NGO, Vaagdhara, which works for the empowerment of impoverished and vulnerable groups in the state, is among 17 from across the world to be granted special consultative status by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

HYDERABAD – Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) MLAs created ruckus in the Assembly today as they allegedly manhandled an MLA of the Loksatta party, Jayaprakash Narayan, for not supporting statehood for Telangana.

Earlier, TRS and TDP MLAs disrupted Governor ESL Narasimhan’s speech on the opening day of the Budget Session. They tried to tear his speech copy …. Original article on Gaea Times at : TRS MLAs create ruckus in Andhra Assembly.

LONDON – A previously unseen photograph of Heinrich Himmler, taken minutes after he committed suicide, is all set to go under the hammer next month.

The picture, captured by Lance Corporal Guy Adderley of British Intelligence in May 1945, shows the Nazi second-in-command lying dead after biting a cyanide pill, still wearing his trademark round glasses.

NEW YORK – US President Barack Obama on Wednesday called CBS News correspondent Lara Logan, who was sexually assaulted in Cairo last week while covering Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s resignation, to express his concern for her condition.

DHARAMSALA – : Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal has said that he has nothing to comment on 17th Karmapa Lama, Ogyen Trinley Dorje, obtaining a clean chit from the Central government agencies vis-???-vis the seizure of huge amount of foreign currency from his monastery.

Interacting with media persons at Dharamsala on Wednesday, he … Read more »».

LONDON – A group of charities led by former Irish President Mary Robinson has come to the defence of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus after the Bangladeshi government asked the Grameen Bank chief to retire as he has reached the normal retirement age for executives at private banks.

BEIJING – China has warned the United States not to intrude into other countries’ affairs after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had urged the world community to allow online freedom, and adopt common standards for internet use.

WASHINGTON – Karl Rove, former Deputy Chief of Staff to former US President George W. Bush, has urged Republican Party politicians to avoid falling into the “birther” movement trap, and to stop fueling rumors that President Barack Obama was not born in the US.

BHUBANESWAR – After halting anti-Maoist operations, Orissa Government began back channel discussions with the rebels as the 48-hour deadline given by them for the release of Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna, neared.

State Home Secretary UN Behera said that he had spoken to social activist Swami Agnivesh and some backdoor dialogue was on for … Read more »»».

TOKYO – The upcoming India-Japan Global Partnership Summit 2011, which marks ten years of the announcement of the partnership, will initiate a new framework of working together between the two nations and give a new direction to the way the world looks like today.

WASHINGTON – The United States has acknowledged that the ‘illegal’ detention issue of double murder-accused American official Raymond Davis has made its bilateral relationship with Pakistan “more difficult”.

“Has this case made that ongoing bilateral relationship more difficult? Probably yes. But we continue to work through this. And we continue to call on his immediate release …. Read the original article : here.

ISLAMABAD – The United States is disappointed that the Pakistan Government did not certify during the court hearing in Lahore that double murder-accused American official Raymond Davis possessed diplomatic immunity, US Ambassador to Islamabad Cameron Munter has said.

PARIS – Eric Zemmour, a well-known commentator and coloumnist for Le Figaro, a French daily newspaper, has been found guilty of inciting racial hatred after passing comments that were hurtful for certain ethnic communities.

LONDON – A sign on the door of Queen’s Arms Hotel in Acomb, Northumberland, which shows the Queen in a black muscle-vest with a tattoo bearing the name ‘Phil’ on her huge forearms, has caused outrage amongst villagers.

Some have branded it ‘distasteful’ and ’sad’, while others have said it amounts to treason.

LONDON – Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has urged striker Wayne Rooney to use his ’scissor-kick’ goal, an overhead kick he hit in the derby against Manchester City last week, as his Premier League season’s launchpad.

Rooney has been plagued by a bout of indifferent form this season, and has just six goals to his …. Source : Gaea News Network.

SRINAGAR – Many aspects of normal civilian life are compromised in Kashmir, as in any area of conflict. But in Kashmir, there is an overlay of this reality with another one; of women being treated with insensitivity, and in extreme cases- violence.There is an inherited tapestry of Kashmir’s societal norms which are discriminatory, that …. Original source : Each district to have a womens’ police station in Kashmir.

BHUBANESWAR – Maoists have extended the two-day deadline indefinitely for the Orissa Government to meet their demands in return for the release of Malkangiri District Collector R V Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi.

The ultras extended the deadline on Friday night following an appeal from the state government even as they exploded a landmine on …. Source : Gaea News Network.

WASHINGTON – Gabrielle Giffords, the US Democratic Representative who was shot while meeting with her constituents in Tucson, Arizona, is working hard to “speak more and improve,” with reports saying that she had even uttered the word “better” on being asked recently by her husband how she was doing.

SRINAGAR – More than 8,000 Kashmiri young men Saturday thronged a recruitment rally in Kashmir Valley’s Ganderbal district to join the Indian Army.

Braving rain and sleet, the youths reached the Manasbal Sainik School in north Kashmir early morning hoping to join the million-strong army.
The recruitment is being held to recruit soldiers from Srinagar … Read more : Thousands flock to join Indian Army in Kashmir.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM – Over 3.5 million women, dressed in brand new clothes and carrying cooking implements, Saturday assembled at this Kerala capital to prepare the offering as part of the famed Attukal Bhagavathi temple’s Pongala festival.

LONDON – Algerian born Salim Zakhrouf (38), a Muslim airport worker, has accused Cathay Pacific airline of racism, after he was denied an interview, only to be offered one two days later when he applied again, using a fake British sounding name.

Zakhrouf had applied to Cathay Pacific for a job as a passenger services officer … Read more >>.

RANCHI – Political issues or the trade imbalance with China notwithstanding, there is a serious ‘Hindi-Chini bhai-bhai’ bonhomie happening in Jharkhand, a region which falls under the V Schedule of the Constitution as having a large tribal (ST) community.|

NEW DELHI – Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and his manager Maroof have been fine Rs. 15 lakh in connection with the recovery of undeclared foreign currency from them at the airport in Delhi on February 13.

Earlier, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officials questioned the singer extensively to find out where the money came … Read more »»».

LONDON – Double murder-accused US official Raymond Davis has been found in possession of top-secret CIA documents, which point to him or the feared American Task Force 373 (TF373) operating in the region, providing Al-Qaeda terrorists with “nuclear fissile material” and “biological agents,” according to a report.

CAPE TOWN – A South African Director of public prosecutions has claimed that Shrien Dewani, the Brit-Indian millionaire accused of masterminding his wife’s murder during their honeymoon in Cape Town last year, is a “fugitive” and guilty of “committing a heinous crime”.’

ISLAMABAD – The United States has revived its high-level engagement with Pakistan after keeping it suspended for almost a fortnight over the diplomatic immunity issue of double murder-accused American official Raymond Davis.

CAPE TOWN – New evidences in the murder case of Anni Dewani, the Indian-origin bride who was killed during her honeymoon in Cape Town last year, has indicated that the victim was sexually assaulted before being gunned down by the abductors.

The Telegraph quoted a witness who had seen Dewani’s body lying on the back … Read more »».

MULTAN – Having nothing to lose after having already been ousted as Pakistan’s former Foreign Minister, Shah Mehmood Qureshi has lambasted the United States over a number of matters, and also revealed that he was asked to keep silent on the Raymond Davis issue.

WASHINGTON – A leaked manuscript by one of Sarah Palin’s closest former aides has revealed that Palin had broken the state election law in her 2006 gubernatorial campaign, and added that the former Alaska Governor had sent him a message saying “I hate this damn job” before resigning.

NEVADA – “Vishnu: Hinduism’s Blue-Skinned Savior”, said to be the first major museum exhibition to focus on the Hindu deity Vishnu, opened at Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville (Tennessee, USA) today.

MELBOURNE – A Labor lawmaker has told the Australian Parliament that most of the people in Melbourne are in favour of axing the Australian Grand Prix because it’s too expensive.

Labor Member of Parliament Michael Danby, whose Melbourne Ports electorate hosts the Grand Prix circuit, said he had polled 600 local residents about the Formula One …. Read the original article : here.

NEW DELHI – Welcoming the dawn of democracy elsewhere, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Monday said Egypt has recently seen momentous developments.

“Egypt has recently seen momentous developments. As a democracy ourselves, we welcome the dawn of democracy elsewhere,” President Patil said in her joint address to both houses of Parliament.
“We have an abiding interest in … Read more >>>.

NEW DELHI – President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Monday said the private sector will have to join the government in the mammoth funding of US dollar one trillion (over Rs 40 lakh crore) for infrastructure development in the 12th Plan staring next fiscal.

” This huge quantum of investment cannot be funded by government alone. … Read more »».

NEW DELHI – Inaugurating the budget session of Parliament, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Monday, said that the Government of India committed to tackling the menace of black money.

“My government stands committed to tackling the menace frontally. It requires diligent, sustained effort by all law enforcement agencies, including those of state governments,” President Patil said …. Original article on Gaea Times at : Govt. committed to tackling menace of black money.

“We have converted this restaurant into a crickets stadium. We have introduced new international fare for our guests and special beverage combinations. This menu has been especially designed in cricket theme for World Cup,” said Arora.

BEIJING – A Standing Committee member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) has called for improved and innovative social management to ensure long-term peace and stability in the country.

BHUBANESWAR – The Orissa government on Tuesday brought a top Maoist leader Ganti Prasadam to speed up the negotiation process for the safe release of a Malkangiri District Collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Majhi.

LAHORE – The front organization of the hardcore banned terror group Laskhar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jamaat-ud-Daawa (JuD), is organizing countrywide strikes and pressurizing families of the two people allegedly murdered by American Raymond Davis not to strike any deals that would allow for Davis’ release.

AURANGBAD – Medical students in Aurangabad vandalized their college and hostel property while protesting against the lack of facilities in campus.he students of the government run institution complained that college provided no security to students and lacked basic facilities such as clean drinking water, sanitation, electricity and proper food.

LONDON – Four Muslim men had brutally attacked a school teacher, slashing his face and leaving him with a fractured skull, in London for giving lessons to Muslim girls about other religions, a court here has heard.

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has made it clear that the case of Raymond Davis, an American national who murdered two Pakistani citizens in Lahore, will be decided by the judiciary and applicability of international and national laws will be taken into account.

WASHINGTON – Texas lawmakers are considering passing a bill allowing students and academicians in the universities to carry guns on campus, in an attempt to ensure their safety following last month’s Arizona shootings.

LONDON – British Intelligence outfit MI5 missed an opportunity to identify the ringleader of the July 7 bombers as terrorists because a surveilance photograph of him that could have been shown to an overseas al-Qaeda supergrass was poorly edited, the inquest into the 2005 attacks on London’s transport system has heard.

LONDON – Pakistan is all set to overtake Britain as the world’s fifth largest nuclear power as it has increased its nuclear weapons stockpile by nearly 40 percent in last two years, having more than 100 deployed weapons.

PATNA – Best selling author Chetan Bhagat, who is on his maiden trip to Bihar, says he is impressed with the fact that the state is no more in the news for its negative stories and people are talking about its growth and changing face.

WASHINGTON – It may be the height of paradox, but being part of a crowd is what gives you individuality, according to life scientists.

Biologists Kimberly Pollard and Daniel Blumstein from the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), examined the evolution of individuality by recording alarm-call vocalizations in eight species of rodents in social groups of …. Source article : Even in a crowd, you remain unique.

WASHINGTON – Stresses of an unemployed spouse can hurt the job performance of the partner but ignoring the stresses of a spouse’s job search does not bode well for the employed counterpart’s job productivity or home life, a new research says.

BHUBANESHWAR – Malkangiri District Collector R Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi are likely to be released by Maoists in the next 48 hours, after Orissa Government conceded to the 14 demands put forward by the rebels.

HYDERABAD – Normal life remained disrupted in the Telangana region of Andhra Pradesh on the second day of a 48-hour shutdown called by Telangana groups to demand the introduction of a bill in Parliament for the creation of a separate state.

WASHINGTON – British Intelligence outfit MI5 had dismissed the July 7 ringleader as a Jihadi ‘tourist’ when he had travelled to Pakistan in 2003 to attend a terrorist training camp, the inquest into the 2005 attacks on London’s transport system has heard.

LONDON – A previously unseen novel by Enid Blyton has been discovered in a children’s book centre.

‘Mr Tumpy’s Caravan’, an 180-page fantasy story about a caravan with a mind of its own, was located among a collection of manuscripts auctioned by the Blyton family in September last year, reports the Telegraph.

NEW DELHI – Legendary kathak dancer Birju Maharaj, who is also a musician, choreographer and lyricist, says kathak as a genre is finally receiving the encouragement it should from the government. He also says he never retired and is dancing away even at 74.

This will allow Jamia Millia to reserve up to 50 per cent seats for Muslims. It will also be exempted from the quotas for aspirants from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and the Other … Read more >>>.

LONDON – The Brit-Indian millionaire charged with masterminding his wife’s murder during their honeymoon in Cape Town last year has reportedly become too “fragile” to stand trial in South Africa after a failed suicide attempt in London.

Thirty-one-year-old Dewani was released from hospital yesterday after a failed suicide bid from a pills overdose, The Sun [..] Read the original article: here.

LAHORE – U.S. officials believe that Raymond Davis, an American national who murdered two Pakistani citizens in Lahore, is in serious danger – even from the guards at the prison where he now awaits his next court date on February 25.

ISLAMABAD – Raymond Davis, who is facing double murder charges in Pakistan, has gone on a hunger strike in a Lahore prison to protest against “substandard food” being given to him and to press for removing security cameras.

An official said that Davis refused to eat in Lahore’s Kot Lakhpat jail when food was given … Read more »».

BEIJING – Criminals convicted for organ trafficking will be given the death penalty, says an amendment submitted to the National People’s Congress (NCP) Standing Committee of China.

The amendment was submitted on Wednesday to the Committee for a third reading. It specifies that criminals convicted of “forced organ removal, forced organ donation or organ removal from …. Source : Gaea News Network.

MOHALI – Having learnt a few drama tricks by acting in a Bollywood flick did not come in handy for a 10-year-old boy as his dramatic kidnapping turned out to be fake. He has written an apology to police and his parents.

PARIS – An anonymous group of French diplomats known only by the name “Marly” has hit out at President Nicolas Sarkozy for pursuing a foreign policy that is impulsive, amateurish and preoccupied with the nation’s image in the media.

FAISALABAD – A relative of Shumaila Kanwal, who had committed suicide after the murder of her husband Fahim by US official Raymond Davis, is battling for his life after three armed men forcibly fed him poisonous pills.

WASHINGTON – The United States and India have agreed to convene a Joint Task Force (JTF) that will examine effective approaches to reduce the use of climate-damaging hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs).

The task force is being established in recognition of the challenges faced by the current phaseout of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) under the Montreal Protocol on Substances that …. Source : Gaea News Network.

ISLAMABAD – In the backdrop of Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan’s detention in New Delhi for violating India’s customs laws, Pakistan’s Interior Ministry has announced that the country’s artistes will need to take permission from the Culture Ministry before visiting any other country.

NEW YORK – A clothing firm in the US has courted controversy after it released an ad for its latest swimwear collection with a model exposing her breasts.

American Apparel, based in Los Angeles, has made headlines for questionable behaviour in the past, and its latest controversial ad is for a nylon-tricot suspender one-piece for 36 …. Read the original article : here.

NEW DELHI – Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday announced that the railways will give concession to women over 58 years.

Presenting the Rail Budget 2011-12 in the Parliament, Banerjee said: “Railways will give relief for senior citizens: to decrease the age for senior citizen (Women) to 58 years from 60 years and concession on rail … Read more >>>.

NEW DELHI – The Economic Survey 2010-11, presented by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Parliament today, states that the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) based cumulative industrial output growth during April-December 2010 was 8.6 per cent being at a par with the growth rate of the corresponding months of the previous year.

CHANDIGARH – If you want to be a ‘rose prince’ or a ‘rose princess’, come to the Rose Festival in Chandigarh that began Friday and which boasts of not only flowers but also music, dance and a host of competitions.

In the backdrop of drum beats and music, Chandigarh administrator and Punjab Governor Shivraj … Read more »».

WASHINGTON – Fringe sexual groups like gays, lesbians and bisexuals are more likely to be victimised, a new study says.

The correlation is prevalent among gays, lesbians and bisexuals, more so than in heterosexuals, says Tonda Hughes, professor of health systems science at the University of Illinois College of Nursing in Chicago, who led … Read more >>>.

TRIPOLI – Libya’s revolutionaries used a dating website to organize their revolt against dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi, and to avoid detection by the country’s secret police, former opposition leader Omar Shibliy Mahmoudi has revealed.

NEW DELHI – The Economic Survey tabled by the Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee in the Lok Sabha today states that there is a need for better convergence of schemes related to unemployment and poverty alleviation, to avoid duplication and leakages and to ensure that the fruits of the schemes reach the targeted beneficiaries. …. Read the original article : here.

NEW DELHI – Recognizing the fact that inflation continues to be high even though it has come down markedly from where it was at the start of the fiscal year, Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today underlined the need to monitor emerging trends in inflation on a sequential monthly basis.

SRINAGAR – Yasin Malik, who heads the pro-independence Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), began a day-long fast in Srinagar Saturday morning to protest the arrest of youths by police. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, however, has denied that minors were being detained.

JAIPUR – She has not given birth to them, but she proudly calls herself the mother of 66 children. Manan Chaturvedi, 35, would probably have become a top fashion designer earning fabulously and living in style. But she chose not to and dumped midway her promising career in fashion designing.

NEW DELHI – With the highest adolescent population in India, the real challenge for the nation is to provide nutrition, health and education in this segment, especially for girls, according to a UNICEF report.

LAHORE – The family of US official Raymond Davis, who shot dead two men in Lahore, has arrived in Pakistan, a media report said Saturday.

Davis’ family reached the country Thursday morning, the daily Dawn reported.
The family comprises a woman, two men and three children. There was tight security when they arrived and [..] Read the original article: here.

ISLAMABAD – Pakistan’s premier spy agency Inter-Services Intelligence has demanded an accounting by the US’ Central Intelligence Agency of all its contractors working in the country as a fallout from the arrest of alleged CIA agent Raymond Davis, a senior Pakistani intelligence official has claimed.

WEST POINT – United States Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates has bluntly told West Point cadets that any senior official advising the president to deploy huge land armies in conflict zones like Iraq and Afghanistan in the future, should have his or her head examined.

KARACHI – German Consulate employee Martin, who had slammed his vehicle into a parked police van at a traffic signal in Karachi in the wee hours of Saturday, has been released five hours after his arrest.

Earlier, four police personnel were injured when their mobile van standing at a signal was hit by the German consulate’s … Read more >>.

SYDNEY – The sons of Libyan dictator Colonel Muammar Gaddafi may have salted away millions of dollars in oil money in hidden Australian investments during a series of visits to Sydney, Perth and Queensland over the past nine years.

NEW YORK – A man in US reportedly raped a toddler at SeaWorld and saved pictures of the horrific crime on his cell phone, according to police.ichael Grzybowicz, of Cocoa Beach Fla., has been held without bail in the Brevard County Jail since Saturday, reports the New York Daily News.

NEVADA – Various events are being organized in Northern Ireland to celebrate Sister Nivedita’s (1867-1911) 100th death anniversary falling on October 13 this year, who was born as Margaret Elizabeth Noble in Northern Ireland but spent most of her adult years in India.

NEW YORK – A Voodoo sex ceremony meant to bring good luck triggered the Brooklyn blaze that killed one person and left dozens homeless, sources have revealed.

A man identified by friends and neighbors as Nelson (Pepe) Pierre took 300 dollars from a woman to perform a mystic ceremony that promised to change her life, reports …. Source article on Gaea Times at : ‘Voodoo sex ceremony’ sparked deadly Brooklyn blaze.

WASHINGTON – Pregnant women in the UK are using NHS fruit and vegetable vouchers to obtain cigarettes and alcohol, reveals a Government report.he survey more than 2,000 retailers, health professionals and recipients has found that more than one in five knew of occasions when shops had swapped the tokens for products outside the scheme, reports … Read more »»».

LONDON – If you accidentally knock over your neighbours beer in a bar and he stares at you, would you buy him a new drink or would you try to outstare him? New research suggests the dominance behaviour exhibited by staring someone down can be reflexive.

ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan People’s Party has termed the Pakistan Muslim League-N’s decision to expel its ministers from the Punjab government a ’sad day for democracy’, and declared that it would play the role of an effective opposition in the province.

“We would like to emerge as an effective opposition and hold the Punjab government accountable. … Read more »»».

NEW DELHI – Meghalaya Chief Minister Mukul Sangma has turned down accusations made by the Union Minister of State for Rural Development Agatha Sangma that the recent clashes between the Rabhas and the Garos in areas along the Assam-Meghalaya boundary could have been avoided had the government of both states taken prompt action.

MUSCAT – Social workers and parents have criticized the first elections of the Indian school board in Oman, calling it a farce.

“The whole process, right from the composition of the board to the procedure of the election is a farce and the process as announced by the Election Committee is unheard of in any democratic …. Read the original article : here.

CANBERRA – Australia has withdrawn its diplomats from Libya amid unrest in that country, which eventually prompted the United Nations to impose sanctions on Muammar Gaddafi’s regime.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said Australian Consul-General Tom Yates and two other officials had been evacuated to Malta as the Gaddafi’s regime intensified its crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrators …. Source article on Gaea Times at : Australia withdraws diplomats from Libya amid unrest.

KUWAIT CITY – Visiting Indian Foreign Minister S.M.Krishna just about made it to a military parade that was organised to celebrate Kuwait’s 50th Independence Day here, after being delayed by a traffic snarl.

NEW DELHI – Prominent social activists such as Anna Hazare and ex-cop Kiran Bedi have demanded that the government introduce an Ombudsman Bill at the earliest to curb the spread of corruption in Indian society.

NEVADA – Well known Hindu statesman Rajan Zed spoke about religion in general and Hinduism in particular to a packed house of people belonging to different religions and denominations at “88 Cups Coffee and Tea” in Minden (Nevada, USA) on February 24 evening.

New Delhi, Feb 28 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that to make the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy more user friendly, all prior regulations and guidelines have been consolidated into one comprehensive document, which is reviewed every six months.

LONDON – A Muslim teaching assistant in Britain has claimed that he ‘felt like jumping in front of a bus’ after being racially abused by his pupils, and was forced to file a police complaint after a student had threatened to rape his wife and children.

LAHORE – Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif has said that there is no place in the party for those who are trying to undermine the party by joining former President Pervez Musharraf.

ISLAMABAD – Two days after expelling the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) from its Punjab government, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) has said that it would continue monitoring the federal government’s measures to curb corruption.

NEW DELHI – Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said that to make the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy more user friendly, all prior regulations and guidelines have been consolidated into one comprehensive document, which is reviewed every six months.

NEW DELHI – Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today announced that an international award with a prize money of Rs. One crore will be instituted for promoting values of Universal Brotherhood in the memory of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore.

NEW DELHI – Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said the regional rural banks will be strengthened to enable them to maintain a Capital to Risk Weighted Asset Ratio (CRAR) of at least nine per cent as on March 31.

WASHINGTON – The Obama administration’s calm and diplomatic response towards the massive unrest in Libya, which had left even its reliable supporters stunned, was due to the warnings given by its diplomats in Tripoli saying that forceful messages from Washington could “endanger the security of American citizens” in the disturbed oil rich country.

LONDON – Military hardware worth hundreds of millions of pounds, which were supplied to Libya by European and British arms firms, are now being used by the Gaddafi regime in a crackdown against pro-democracy protestors, an EU document has revealed.

The European Union’s latest arms control report, released in January this year, said that … Read more >>.

NEW DELHI – Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said inflation continues to remain a concern, but exuded confidence that the monetary policy of Reserve Bank of India will lead to reduction in inflation numbers in the coming months.